The present invention relates generally to air vents and, more specifically, to a deflector insert for use with generally rectangular air vents supported in suspended ceiling grids.
In commercial and industrial buildings, the ceiling of rooms is often defined by a suspended ceiling, including a grid work of perpendicular grid members and ceiling tiles supported by the grid work. The perpendicular grid members define panel openings that typically have a dimension of 2 footxc3x972 foot, or 2 footxc3x974 foot. A variety of different ceiling tile types and designs may be supported in these panel openings so as to define a generally continuous, flat ceiling surface. Luminaires or light panels may also be supported in the panel openings in place of some of the ceiling tiles. Air vents may also be provided in the ceiling grid for the supply and return of heated or cooled air to the building""s climate control system. These air vents are typically a standard size, such as 2 footxc3x972 foot, to fit in one of the panel openings, in place of a ceiling tile. The air vents have a vent face with a plurality of air passage openings through which air flows.
Even though climate control systems typically include air filtration, the air flow into and out of air vents in the ceiling grid usually has some dirt, dust, or debris particles suspended in the air flow. A problem with typical air vent installations is that these particles will accumulate on the grid members and/or edges of ceiling tiles surrounding an air vent, leading to a soiled appearance. For example, in an air vent that is suspended in a generally horizontal ceiling, the air vent is often designed to direct the air flow horizontally close to the ceiling or to draw air from horizontally along the ceiling. Therefore, air flow passing into and out of an air vent flows along the edges of the surrounding ceiling tiles and grid members, and particles suspended in the air flow may accumulate around the air vent. Cleaning of the soiled grid members and surrounding tiles is difficult and time consuming. However, leaving the surrounding materials in the soiled condition is highly undesirable for some facilities.
In order to reduce the amount of debris accumulating on the grid members and ceiling tiles surrounding an air vent, there have been some attempts to provide air deflectors that direct the air flow away from the surrounding members. For example, a downwardly extending flange may be welded to an air vent, prior to installation, so as to direct air flow downwardly away from the vent and away from the surrounding materials. Such an approach is expensive and time consuming. Also, it is very difficult to retrofit a welded-on deflector to an already installed air vent.
Another approach to providing an air deflector is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,292,282 and D387,155 to Callas. This design provides elongated baffles that have a magnetic strip on their upper edge. One baffle may be attached to the ceiling grid member on each side of an air vent, using the magnetic strip. Strips may be provided on some or all of the sides, as needed. While this design is easier to use than a welded flange, it remains costly, requires the grid members to be made of a ferromagnetic material, and has an appearance that may not be acceptable in some applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,120 to Lemmo provides a deflector skirt which is assembled from four elongated deflector plates. The deflector plates may be assembled together around the air vent, and preferably welded together. As with a welded flange, this design is laborious to use and would present difficulties in removing the deflector skirt for cleaning or when its use is not desirable.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,016 to Steele provides a deflector skirt similar to the Lemmo design, but adapted to be adjustable in length and width and to be attached to a wall vent. For this purpose, it is provided with fasteners which pass through the deflector skirt and engage in the wall. This design is not suitable for use with a typical suspended ceiling.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,386,367 to Pellegrino provides an anti-smudge ring designed to prevent the accumulation of dirt around a circular air duct in a ceiling. It consists of a round flange that is attached to the ceiling around the air duct and turns back in on itself to form a dust trap. This ring appears to require being designed into the original vent and is not suitable for use with a typical suspended ceiling grid.
There have also been numerous attempts to provide deflectors of various types for wall and floor mount vents. These deflectors are typically provided to direct the air flow more into the central portion of the room or to deflect air flow away from curtains or furniture. Examples of these deflectors are shown in the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 456,520 to Reese, U.S. Pat. No. 1,571,631 to Krueger, U.S. Pat. No. 1,624,225 to Elters, U.S. Pat. No. 1,703,567 to Behringer, U.S. Pat. No. 2,080,726 to Lowinger, U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,969 to Clifford, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,556 to Gladden. While these designs are suitable for use in their intended application, none are suitable for use with a suspended ceiling grid.
The present invention overcomes many of the shortcomings of the prior art by providing an air vent deflector insert that may be positioned adjacent an air vent that is already installed in a suspended ceiling grid. It is for use with a ceiling grid of the type having a plurality of grid members intersecting so as to form a generally rectangular opening. The opening may be said to have a predetermined length and a predetermined width. Each of the grid members forming the opening has an upper surface for supporting the air vent. The air vent has a generally rectangular perimeter edge with a lower surface that rests on the upper surfaces of the grid members defining the generally rectangular opening. The air deflector has a deflector body with four side members. Each of the side members has a pair of opposed ends and a mid-portion therebetween. The ends of each side member are joined to an end of another side member such that the four members form a generally rectangular assembly. Each side member includes a downwardly extending wall segment having a lower edge and an upper edge. The upper edges of the wall segments together define a rectangular perimeter with a length approximately equal to the predetermined length of the rectangular opening and a width approximately equal to the predetermined width of the rectangular opening. At least two of the side members further include a support tab extending outwardly from the upper edge of the downwardly extending wall segment. The supports tabs are designed to be received between the upper surfaces of the grid members defined in the rectangular opening and the lower surface of the perimeter edge of the air vent such that the deflector body is retained adjacent the rectangular opening. The deflector body is formed of a resilient material such that the deflector body may be deformed into a non-rectangular shape and the support tabs may be positioned between the upper surfaces of the grid members defining the rectangular opening and the lower surface of the perimeter edge of the air vent without disassembling the deflector body or removing the air vent from the rectangular opening.
In some versions of the present invention, support tabs extend from the upper edge of each of the wall segments and consist of continuous flange with a length less than the wall segment. The continuous flange does not extend to the corners of the rectangular member. Preferably, the deflector body is unitarily formed of a flexible and resilient material and does not require any assembly. The present invention also provides a method for installing an air deflector according to the present invention adjacent an air vent that has already been installed in a ceiling grid.